A Spark Of Hope

The world is slowly dying out. We are losing population and civilization. Children's young minds can't handle this much. If only there was a world where all of this never happened. If only we could start on a fresh, blank canvas. A do-over on the world that we failed. To start over, take back our mistakes and betrayal.

The world is broken, and its people are breaking. For years now the Earth has been going downhill. Death rates are rising and there are more wicked people in this place than there ever has been. It didn't have to be like this. We could've made this world a better place. Help it grow and move forward. Things would've existed that no one would ever be capable of imagining. Instead, we destroyed it. Ruined our chances of that ever happening. Humans were given intelligence, and no one decided to use it. We were capable to assist developing clever minds even further, but we just made them straight up dumb. We were given great lives, and this is what we have chosen to do with them. We have done the complete opposite of why this world was made in the first place. A do-over on the world that we failed would be a gift. A gift that none of us would be grateful for, but a gift that all of us need.

My name is Carlina Karis. I live in NSW and I have thick, chestnut brown hair right above my shoulders. I have perfectly arched eyebrows that are a dark brown and long, black eyelashes. My cheeks are rosy red and freckly, and I have plum lips. My favourite colour is yellow, but not all yellows. The type of yellow that's kind of, in between mustard and the yellow in a sunset. A sort of golden. Finally, my eyes are hazel, but a different hazel. One that apparently no one's ever seen before. They're unique. I'm told my eyes stand out more than anything else about me. I'm told they glow like a ring of golden light. I'm told they express who I am. Then again, I don't believe everything I'm told.

It was a cold Winter's morning, and I was feeling curious. I slowly got out of bed, groggy for a minute but then I found my balance and made a nice hot cup of tea for myself to relax and watch the news. I grabbed the remote and switched through all the different channels until I finally landed on the important information. It mentioned when scientists 25 years ago, when I hadn't been born yet, discovered a small spark of light in Brisbane, Queensland about 4 mm long. Apparently, it has grown much more over the years and by this year, 2046, it had reached 20 cm long! Scientists believed that this was the biggest length it could get, and the news stated that just yesterday, it got so big that it created a massive eruption! Luckily, only 3 people died, which were found to be the scientists. What a coincidence that they were there at that exact moment. Suspicious. I think more is going on than what we're being told. I think this is foul play. These scientists sound quite distrustful. I mean, who are we to put our faith into some random people we've never met. Us humans can be so gullible sometimes. I am motivated. I need to investigate. I have to admit, I've got nothing better to do anyway. Besides, it's fun! It's fun discovering the truth within. Sometimes I just love to prove to others that they were wrong, and I was right. I mean, doesn't everyone?!

Travelling to Brisbane was a blur. The entire time I was zoned out. I pondered and daydreamed, excited for the journey ahead. For a moment I realised that the eruption site was probably blocked off, however I didn't worry about it too much. Whether it was or not, it was still going to be a pleasing holiday. I needed a vacation anyway.

"Finally! I've arrived! Oh, I can't imagine what I'll find!" I screamed enthusiastically.

Maybe I made too much noise because a family walking by stared at me in shock.

"Oops." I chuckled quietly.

From then on, I decided that maybe I shouldn't speak my thoughts out loud. I walked all the way to the eruption site, and it looked even more amazing than I imagined. Golden, glowing fragments of a lava-like substance, scattered on the walls and ground of the strange and compact room. Everything was unstable and looked as if it were about to suddenly tumble down. Oddly, no one was there to monitor the site. No one cleaning it up or blocking it off, so that others weren't able to enter. No guards. Nothing. It was freely open for everyone to take a look at it or do anything they desire with it. Maybe the scientists wanted me to find it. Not just me, all of you guys too. Maybe they created the spark. Maybe the eruption was planned. Maybe the truth within is a wonder they want to share with the world. A wonder for us all. Maybe this was our gift. I steadily roamed closer to the fragments and I felt something. Something in my heart, something calling me. The spark was connected to me. That had to be the only explanation. The remains of it were talking to me. Declaring that this was everyone's chance for a better life. I felt so certain that there was something going on. So certain that I wasn't crazy. So, then I cautiously crept into a wall of glowing fragments, all bunched together and couldn't believe my eyes.